ThreeCorners - 2015-07-18 8:01 AM

The more talented a horse is, the faster they run and the harder they turn, the more they tear themselves up. Just like human athletes, athletic individuals with a athletically demanding "career" are more prone to injury. Slow footed horses riding the fenceline and checking cows in a pasture can go forever without injury because they simply are not putting the stress on their bodies that barrel horses are.

 I came back to add......I dated a track vet for a couple years. One day when I was with him doing calls, one of his clients asked him "what can I do to keep my horse sound and keep him from getting hurt?" He looked at her, and said "Put him in a groomed pasture and never take him out to ride or work."    That pretty much sums it up.